Newspaper vending machines



March 1, 1960 Filed July 51. 1955 R. UTIGER' 2,926,814

NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FHLPH (Jr/GEE A TTOEN: Y$

March 1, 1960 Filed July 31, 1953 R. UTIGER NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINES INVENTOR. @441 07745.6

Mbzdw BY M,

March 1, 1960 R. UTIGER 2,926,814

NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINES Filed July 31. 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

; ZHAPH (Jr/65E A T'TOENEVS Mar h 1, 1 R. UTIGER 2,926,814

NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINES Filed July 31, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR,

United States Patent NEWSPAPER VENDING MACHINES Ralph Utiger, Delavan, Wis., assignor to W. G. Scott, Clinton, Wis.

Application July 31, 1953, Serial No. 371,610

6 Claims. (Cl. 221-213) My invention relates to improvements in newspaper vending machines.

In the many types of newspaper vending machines heretofore devised, the effort has been to provide a reliable dispenser to meet the varied conditions tinder which newspapers must be handled and vended automatically. It may be stated that among these problems one of the most difficult has been the provision of a feeding device which under all conditions will positively remove a single complete newspaper from a pack of newspapers and feed it infallibly to a point of delivery. It has heretofore been a baflling problem to deliver the single newspaper from a pack of newspapers and not to deliver or displace the next newspaper in the pack.

My invention meets these problems by providing a new burr to engage and feed newspapers in a dispensing operation and I provide atthe same time a retarder to be sure that only one complete newspaper will be delivered.

Another feature of my invention is the provision of a readily serviceable dispenser wherein certain portions of the paper delivery mechanism are secured to the closure member which may be opened in the servicing operation and which when closed completes the newspaper delivery apparatus.

Another feature of my invention relates to the control of the dispensing apparatus whereby the delivery of the last paper from a magazine theretofore loaded with newspapers, causes the control apparatus to stop the dispensing apparatus and return to the customer any coins with which he attempts to operate it.

Other features of my invention will be apparent from the following description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of the exterior of my complete newspaper dispenser showing the delivery slot and the coin control box.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of my entire newspaper dispensing case, the cover for the dispensing apparatus and the door for a storage cabinet being shown in partially opened position.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of my dispenser with the cover removed.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 but showing only the upper portion of the casethe cover and its associated parts being shown in closed position.

Fig. 5 is a greatly enlarged elevation of a portion of the side of my dispenser, the cover of the coin control box being removed in vertical section to expose the interior of the coin control box.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7--7 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a sectionon line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a sectionon line 9-9 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 10'is a section taken generally on line 10--10 of Fig. 9 but showing the dispensing apparatus in a position which the operating parts and a single newspaper lit! 2 being dispensed have assumed when the dispensing operation has been initiated but has only progressed slightly.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 but showing the single newspaper and the dispensing apparatus in the position which they assume when the newspaper has progressed approximately one-half way toward the delivery slot.

Fig. 12 is a section on line 12-12 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 13 is a section on line 13-13 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a plan view partially in axial section showing a portion of the control device for making the dispenser inoperative when the supply of newspapers is exhausted.

Fig. 15 is a section on line 15-15 of Fig. 9.but showing in enlarged detail the newspaper engaging burr.

Fig. 16 is an elevation of the working face of the burr.

Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic view of the relationship between the parts incident to a disclosure of the angu.- larity of the spines of the burr. Speaking generally, my newspaper dispensing apparatus is housed within the upper portion of a weathertight enclosure 20, the lower portion 21 of which provides storage room for an additional supply of papers or other material to be dispensed. In an upper chamber 22, the dispensing apparatus includes in a greater part of the volume of the chamber a magazine for newspapers or other articles to be dispensed. At the front is a delivery slot 23 and in the zone between the magazine and the delivery slot is the actual dispensing apparatus, the details of which will be described below. Then there is a control device for the manually operated dispensing apparatus, such control device being coin operated. The features of the coin receiving device constitute no part of my invention except that as a part of my invention I incorporate interlocking apparatus between my dispenser and the coin box for two purposes; namely, to shut down the dispensing apparatus and prevent its operation when there are no more newspapers in the magazine, and secondly, since the motivating force for my dispenser is a manually motivated crank, I provide protection for the relatively delicate coin apparatus so as to prevent excessive forces from reaching destructive portions when my shutdown apparatus has established a stop against machine operation.

The box-like case 20 has a hinged cover 25, a bottom floor 26 and a horizontal partition 27 providing a floor for the upper chamber 22. Occupying a substantial portion of chamber 22 is the magazine holding the supply of newspapers to be dispensed. This magazine includes inverted channel members 28 and 29 having broad polished surfaces 280 and 290, respectively, upon which folded margins 30 of newspapers 31 may rest. These channel members 28 and 29 are supported by upper cross member 32 and lower cross member 33 forming part of a frame work carried by posts 34 and 35. The forward wall 36 of the magazine has its upper margin at 37 and it is against this forward wall that the newspapers 31 are pressed because of the fact that the papers tend to slide down the smooth surfaces 280 and 290 by gravity and under the urge of a follower 38 which comprises a board equipped at spaced points along its upper margin with spring deflectors 39 and 40. This follower is mounted upon side rods 41, there being at either side of the board 38 a tubular bearing 42 rigidly connected with the board and slidably mounted upon a side rod. To assist the gravity feed of the papers in a forward direction against the forward wall 36, I provide an unusually long tension spring 45 at each side of the magazine. A fixed end of each spring at 46 is secured to a post 34 and the spring extends forwardly from its fixed end to and around an idler pulley 47 so that the active end of each spring 45 may be secured at 4% to angle iron 49 which is secured to the follower board 38. There is thus sufficient length in the tension springs 45 to provide a very even thrust by the follower board against the newspapers whether the board 33 is behind a full complement of papers in the magazine or is behind merely one or two of the last remaining papers in the magazine.

The slope of the surfaces 280, 290 is preferably 20 from the horizontal and the papers are supported in the magazine on the surfaces 286, 296 with their folded edges bearing upon the polished channel members 28, 29. The relatively more flexible unfolded edges along the top margins of the newspapers are pressed forward slightly by the deflectors 39 with the result that the papers are slightly curved forwardly at their top margins as shown clearly in Figs. 4, and 11.

As indicated generally above, single newspapers are dispensed by my machine from the magazine to a delivery slot 23. This delivery slot is formed in the forward portion of the case by provision of an interior slot partition 50 spaced inwardly and somewhat rearwardly of the front wall 51 of the case 20. A slot floor at 52 limits the downward movement of the dispensed paper 53 which when positioned in the delivery slot is exposed as to a certain portion of the edge and area of the paper by relief at 54 of a portion of the front wall 51 as shown most clearly in Fig. 1. The partition 56 has upwardly extending guide strips 55 which are spaced apart as shown clearly in Fig. 3 but which are curved inwardly to define one surface of a throat into which the dispensed paper 53 is propelled and guided. The upper portion of this throat is defined by spaced spring guides 56 which are mounted to the under side of cover by means of brackets 57. To the leg of the bracket 57 the spring guide 56 is hinged at 58, and the trailing end of the spring guide is in spring mounted relation as shown in Fig. 4 at 59. The upward thrust of a newspaper in a dispensing motion under the spring guides 56 is resisted by the spring mounting at 59 as will be clear from the enlarged views in Figs. 10 and 11.

With the exception of the moving parts above described relative to the magazine and its follower mechanism and the moving parts pertaining to coin control, the moving and motivated parts of my dispenser are mounted upon a crank operated shaft 65, the crank for which is seen at 66 with its handle 67. The shaft 65 is mounted in pillow bearings 68 and 69, each of which includes a long sleeve 70 which I use as the bearing support for the idler pulleys 47 about which the springs 45 are mounted.

It is on the shaft 65 that the elements to dispense the most forwardly positioned newspaper are mounted. These elements I shall term burrs of which an ordinary newspaper dispensing apparatus would include two or more as shown at 75. Each of the burrs is mounted upon a balanced arm 76 which includes a hub-like portion 77 to be received upon the shaft and keyed thereto. A counterbalance at 78 is somewhat heavier than the burr for reasons which will be described below.

The shape and spine equipment of the burr 75 is of great importance. The contour and general design is most clearly shown in Figs. 15 and 16 where it will be seen that the arm 76 is developed outwardly into a burr pad 79 to receive the burr 75. The radially outward face 80 of the burr is curved as shown in Fig. 15 and the very sharp hardened spines 31 are set into the body of the burr in an array of spines set at an entrant angle. By this I means that the spines have such differing angularity with respect to the radial center line of the arm 76 that the various spines approach the most forward newspaper in the magazine with each spine angularly disposed to enter the newspaper with a penetrating jab rather than with a raking or scratching movement. This, of course, is gauged according to the disposition of the shaft with reference to the portions of the newspaper exposed for burr contact by the slotted forward wall 36 of the magazine. I have found that about four rows of spines 81 as shown in Fig. 16 with the spines about one-quarter of an inch apart provides the best grip of the burr in engagement with the leaves of the newspaper.

As shown in Fig. 17, the forward wall 36 is at an angle of 20 from the vertical and the lower margin of this forward wall is seven inches from a vertical line drawn through the shaft 65. The shortest distance from the shaft 65 to the plane of the forward wall is four inches. The arm 76 plus the thickness of the burr 75 is one-eighth inch shorter than this four inch dimension because the papers pressed against the forward wall 36 are bent forward above the forward wall.

With these dimensions, the angle of the axis of each spine with respect to a radius extending from the center of the shaft 65 through the base of each spine is 40", the spine of course being angularly forwardly disposed, and it is this angle which i have termed an entrant angle as applied to these particular dimensions, since I have found that with these angles and with these dimensions the spines do not-scratch or rake the surface but theyactually enter and make a well defined hole in the newspaper just the diameter of the spine itself.

Thus as the shaft 65 is rotated and the pair of burrs 75 swings into engagement with the face of the newspaper, the arc of movement of the face of the burr is such that the face of the most forward newspaper constitutes a chord of the burrs arcuate movement and the burr impinges against the face of the newspaper so that the spines penetrate effectively. The newspaper then in the continued arcuate movement of the burrs is lifted. Since the upper margins of the newspapers are pushed slightly forwardly by the spring deflectors 39, the pressure of the newspaper upon the spines 81 and against the burr face is not relieved as the burr and paper move up wardly. As the individual forward newspaper is being dispensed, the top margin of thepaper impinges against the guide strips 56 (Fig. 10) and the weight of the news paper bears by gravity against the burrs with some added downward pressure from the springs 59. Thus the spines are kept in their positions in the holes which they have made in the newspaper and the continued rotation of the shaft 65 motivated by crank 66-67 brings the paper finally into a position in the throat leading to the slot 23 where the weight of the newspaper can freely release it from the spines and from the burr as the newspaper drops into the slot and down upon the floor 52 of the slot.

To prevent the trailing edge 30 of the newspaper from dropping limply behind the burr, I provide follow-up rods 83 shaped as shown clearlyin Figs. 10 and 11 so that as the paper moves from its original position against the forward board 36 and sweeps upwardly and forwardly into the throat of the delivery slot, the paper maintains a generally arcuate configuration. The follow-up rods 83 are connected to the burr-supporting arm 76 in a trail ing direction with respect to the burr. The main article engaging surface of the rods 83 is arcuate and substantially concentric with the axis of the shaft 65, the radius of curvature of this arcuate portion being less than the radius of the curvature of the article engaging face of the burr 75 from which the spines 81 project at an entrant angle.

The article engaging face 80 of the burr has a relatively small area compared to the area of the face of the article engaged by the movable rotatable portions of the dis penser and the length of this face 80 in the direction of the path of its travel is a minor fraction of the length of said path and substantially less than the length of the article face along the same direction. Moreover, the angular extent of the burr 75, as seen in Figure 11, is substantially less than that of the follow-up rod 83. Also, the radii of curvature of the outer faces of the burr 75, rod 83 and counter weight 78 are progressively reduced so that only the burr will apply lifting forces to the for ward most article in the magazine. The rods 83 are dirested in the direction of article movement and the surfaces thereof permit the trailing portion of the article to spines 81 and the upward movement of the most forward newspaper is commenced, it is natural under certain weather conditions and under conditions of which newspaper vendors are well informed, for the second newspaper to tend to move with the dispensed paper. I prevent this by providing the bristle brush devices 85 mounted upon vertical axes as shown most clearly in Figs. 12 and 13. The axes of these rotary bristle brushes are carried in arms 86 tensioned to press the bristles into the leaves of the newspaper by tension spring 87 as will very clearly be seen in Fig. 18. This apparatus is auto matic and extremely effective. It is true that the bristles of the brushes 35 extend into the leaves of the most forwardlypositioned newspaper as well as between the leaves of the second newspaper in line, but my burrs 75 are so effective in dispensing the most forwardly positioned newspaper that I have more than ample gripping power to dispense the desired newspaper despite the holdback tendency provided by the bristle brushes 85. In fact, I have found no conditions under which the bristles of the brushes have failed to hold the second newspaper and sufficiently freely deliver the desired first newspaper.

A ratchet 88 on the shaft 65 is provided with a pawl 89 so arranged as to prevent the rotation of shaft 65 and the burrs in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 4. This is necessary since the path of travel of the burrs is such with reference to the forwardly thrust upward margins of the newspaper that any swinging movement in that direction would damage the newspapers. Thus the only direction of rotation of shaft 86 isclockwise as shown in Figs. 4, and 11, and I provide a coin control mechanism to prevent any rotation of y the shaft 65 unless a proper coin or combination of coins has been inserted in the control device, which will now be described.

An eccentric 90 mounted on the shaft 65 is encompassed by a well known type of eccentric collar 91 connected at 92 to a coin operated shaft 93 by means of a pin 94. An arm 95 mounted upon the coin control shaft 93 is shaped as shown most clearly in Fig. 8 to provide the connection at pin 94. The parts as shown in Fig. 8 are in the position of rest which they assume when a newspaper dispensing operation has been completed. It will be noted that in this position, the shaft 65, the control shaft 93, and the pin 94 are most nearly in alignment in this position of rest or neutral position. This means that any destructive force due for instance to the too forceful attempt to turn the crank 66 will have the least advantage in the attempt to turn the control shaft 93, for reasons that will be described below.

Within a coin control box 96, I provide means for the control of the control shaft 93. This control shaft passes from the inner portion to which the arm 95 is secured through the side wall of the case and into the coin control box 96. Within the coin control box 96 the control shaft 93 is provided with a stop collar 97 which is made up of disk-like laminations the peripheries of which are contoured as shown most clearly in Fig. 5 to provide a cam-like exterior upon which the roller 98 of a stop latch 99 may hear. The cam-like exterior of the stop collar 97 is relieved to provide a hook shaped stop surface. at 100 against which the roller of the stop latch may abut if no proper coin has been fed into the coin control box. It will be seen in Fig. 5 that the latch 99 is so shaped as to be pivotally mounted on latch pin 101 and urged to roller contact with the stop collar by compression spring 102. This spring bears against one wall 103 of a framelike member 104 interiorly positioned with reference to the coin control box 96.

It has already been stated that the stop collar 97 is made up of laminations of disk-like members. At least one of these members is exteriorly contoured as shown in dotted lines at 105. In this particular instance, this lamination is of the thickness of the US. five centpiece 106 shown in Fig. 5. If other combinations of coins are needed to operate a particular dispenser having a product sold at a price different than five cents, "then other laminations may be contoured similar to the contour shown at 105, but in any event so contoured as to hold a coin or coins in approximately the same position and height as the five cent piece 106 shown in Fig. 5, all for the purpose of holding a coin in a camming position as described below.

If the coin is not in position, any attempt to rotate the stop collar 97 in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 5 will cause the collar 98 on stop latch 99 to pass into the hook shaped stop portion of the stop collar and no further movement of any of the parts in that direction wil be permitted. If, however, the coin 106 is in position as shownin Fig. 5, the contour of the stop collar is supplemented by the exterior margins of the coin so as to cause the collar 98 to ride upwardly and over the hook shaped portion of the stop collar. At the time of the passage of the roller 98 over the margin of the coin 106, the spring 102 is compressed, and when the coin has passed over the latch, it will drop by gravity into the lower portion of the box 96, thus leaving the stop collar open for reception of the roller 98 in the hook portion upon the next oscillation of the stop collar.

It will now be apparent that a suitable form of coin receiving and sorting apparatus which will pass an approved coin into the space provided between the laminations as thus described will permit the operation of my dispensing device, and without such a coin to support the stop latch 99, no rotation of shaft 65 in a newspaper dispensing operation is possible. i

A particularly desirable coin control and coin selecting apparatus is shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, and it is principally important in the description of my invention to show the background for the apparatus described below which is effective at a time when all of the newspapers have been dispensed from the magazine into the slot 23 and means are provided for returning a coin to a customer if he attempts to operate the machine with his coin when the machine is empty.

In the top of the coin control box 96 is the usual opening 110 for the insertion of the coin. When inserted through this slot, the coin is so channeled in its travel through the coin control box that the plane of its side surface is elevated. In other words, the coin travels edge down. Its first travel by gravity is downward into a balanced cradle 111 pivoted upon pin 112. This cradle is by gravity kept in the position shown in Fig. 5, and when the coin is received into the cradle, the weight of the coin over balances and spills it into a channel 113 between two guideways 114 and 115. In reaching this channel from the cradle 111, the coin passes a magnet 115 which is so designed as to deflect a coin having a ferrous metal content so as to keep the coin from entering the channel 113. The slug is thus deflected into a receptor where it cannot reach the position of the coin 106 shown in Fig. 5. An approved coin, however, will pass into channel 113 and will drop with predetermined force upon an anvil 116 of such characteristics than an approved coin will bounce the proper distance to evade deflector 117 in the channel 113 and thus continue in channel 113 so as to be received into the groove shown at 118 between the laminations of stop collar 97 (see Fig. 7). The approved coin is thus passed directly into channel 118 of the stop collar where it will be passed to its proper position in the stop collar for operation of my dispenser.

It is at the point of bouncing passage of the coin as it leaves anvil 116 that my special equipment for coin return is effective where a customer attempts to operate aeaaeie 7 my dispenser when the magazine is empty. Mounted upon a bracket 119 so as to be 'swingably mounted parallel with the wall of the main casing 51 and parallel with the inner wall 120 of coin control box 96, is a coin return arm 121 having a coin deflector 122 protruding therefrom. There is an aperture 123 in the guideway 113 and if the swingable arm 121 swings to the right as shown in Fig. 7 so that the coin deflector 122 is in position to block channel 113, any coin passing down through channel 113'will be deflected into channel 124 formed by a coin return guide 125. This is the same channel at 12 into which a slug which does not have proper bouncing characteristics will be deflected by a slug deflector 126. Thus any coin which comprises an improper slug and any coin which is inserted at a time when the arm 121 and its deflector 122 is moved to the right as shown in Fig. 7

, will be guided into a coin return slot 127 and will be visible at 128 to a person who has inserted the coin or slug.

To actuate the arm 121 and its deflector 122, I provide the followingdescribed device which is effective at the time when the magazine is empty. A Bowden Wire 1311 connects an arm actuator 13-1 with a magazine plunger 132. The magazine plunger 132 is mounted to the follower 38 (Fig. 4). When the follower is hearing against newspapers, the plunger is pressed to the left as shown in Fig. 14 and a compression spring 133retained between the'plunger 132 and its bracket 134 constantly urges the plunger to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 14. Thus when the last newspaper has been dis- 7 pensed, the plunger takes the position shown in Fig. 14-

against the Bowden wire 139 and the arm actuator 131 will swing the arm 121 and its deflector 122 to the right. Thereafter the deflector 122 will be in a position to return any coin offered by a customer. This coin return apparatus is automatic in every respect-since the filling of the magazine at the time when it is next serviced will result in the newspapers bearing against the plunger 132 so as to prevent the plunger from thrusting the arm 121 to coin return position. Of course, the Bowden wire is returned to its neutral position by a compression spring 135. This spring is weaker than spring 133.

From the above description, it will be realized that control shaft 93 is oscillatory. The position in which it is shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 8 is its neutral position inbetween dispensing operations. in one complete rotation of shaft 65, the control shaft @3 will only oscillate through approximately 90, just suflicient oscillation to pass the coin beneath the latch collar 98, then the arm 95 will return to the position shown in Fig. 8. The oscillatory return of the stop collar 97 to the position shown in Pig. is assisted by a torsion spring 14d, one end of the spring being secured to a stationary support 141 extending in wardly from the frame-like member 104, and the other end of the torsion spring being secured to a pin 1 52 extending oppositely from the stop collar 97. The coils of the torsion spring 140 are wrapped loosely around control shaft 93 and the spring 14%) is biased to oscillate the stop collar counterclockwise as seen in Fig. 5. Thus the collar is returned to a stop position inherent in the collar. Obviously the coin control box 96 must be subject to inspection and servicing at least for the purpose of removing the coins which have been inserted through the slot 110. The box is hingedly secured to the main case at 145 and the top may, therefore, be swung away from the case 29 if a padlock 146 has been removed from the hasp 147 which is permanently and securely fastened to the coin control box 96. This hasp passes freely through the wall of case 20 if the padlock is removed. The cover is locked in any suitable manner to protect the upper chamber.

The operation of my newspaper dispenser is as follows: The man who services my dispenser unlocks and opens the cover 25 presumably at a time when the magazine is empty. He inspects the coin control box 96 by unlocking and removingpadlock 146 from hasp 147 and hingedly swingably pulling the top of the box 96 outwardly and downwardly. This exposes the arm actuator 131 but the coin box can be inspected and emptied. The coin box then returned to the position shown in the drawings and the padlock replaced and locked upon the hasp. The follower board 33 is then slidably retracted as far as possible to the left as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4 so that a new bundle of newspapers can be placed upon the slides 28 and 25 with the folded edges 31, of the newspapers against the smooth surfaces 2%, 299. If the follower board 33 has been pulled back, the tension springs if have been drawn out to their full length and have caused the idler pulleys 47 to be freely rotated upon their bearings which comprise the exterior surfaces of bearing sleeves 79. 0f course, as the follower board is pulled to its extreme rearward position, the plunger132 is in its extended position under the bias of compression spring 133, but when the magazine has some newspapers in it and the follower board is' released so as to be brought into contact with the most rearwardly positioned newspaper, the plunger 132 is thrust against the compression spring 133 and the entire plunger is disposed within the bracket 13 1 with the nose of the plunger bearing against the newspaper.

with deflector 122 so positioned as to leave the coin slot 113 wide open for normal operation of the machine.

With the magazine loaded with newspapers and the follower board 38 released by service attendant, the follower board will assume pressure relationship against the magazine load and the spring deflectors 39and 40 will cause the top portions of the newspapers to be do flected somewhat forwardly, since forward wall 38 against which the most forwardly positioned newspaper is pressed by the springs 45 and by the pull of gravity does not extend above the margin at The service attendant will, of course, inspect and note whether the bristles of the brushes 35 are properly extended in-between the side margins of the leaves of the papers, and if not, he can adjust the arms 36 to pull the brushes away from the newspapers so as to permit the brushes to be snapped back into proper position under the bias of spring 3'7.

Thecover 25 with its spaced spring guide 56 may then be moved to cover closed position and the cabinet may be locked up in readiness for customer operation.

When the customer approaches my newspaper dis penser, he may be inclined to test it by attempting to rotate the handle 6ti-67 of shaft 65, however, there being no coin 1% in position, the roller in the first slight rotation of the crank will roll against the hook shaped portion of collar ,7 at 161 with the result that the crank 66 will be stopped. When released from-the hand of the customer, the handle will assume its pendant position not only under the urge of gravity, but also under the bias of spring 141) which will pull the eccentric 91) to the position shown in Fig. 8 with the assistance of the counterweights '78.

The customers coin will then be placed in the slot lllt'l and, assuming that it is the proper type of coin, will pass down the channel 113 between the two guideways .114 and 115 to the cradle 111 which, despite any excessive downward thrust of the coin, will stop it and then tilt to cause the coin to pass magnet 115 and drop by gravity upon anvil 116. The coil will then bounce from the anvil evading deflector 12s and will proceed down the channel 113 into position as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 where it will be supported upon the curved surface of one of the laminations which make up the collar 97. in this position upon the curved surface 165, the coin edge will be against roller 98 and it is then that the customer may turn the crank 66 and rotate shaft 65. When this is done, the eccentric 913 will act upon eccentric collar 91 and the parts 9295 so that control shaft 93 At this time the Bowden wire 131i is retracted by spring 35 and the hangs vertically will be oscillated. As collar 97 brings the coin edge against roller 98, the spring 102 is compressed and the latch 99 is forced back away from the collar. In this movement the edge of the coin acts as a cam surface over which roller 98 may pass so as to avoid the hooked portion 100 of the collar.

Since the shaft 65 may continue to rotate, thetwo burrs 75 will be rotated so as to swing in the arc to bring them into contact with the most forward newspaper in the magazine. The are of movement of the burrs as described above is such that with the spines 81 disposed at the angle indicated in Fig. 15, they are at an entrant angle to penetrate the pages of this newspaper without raking or scratching. The number of spines 81 is relatively large as shown in Fig. 16 and the required lifting moment is divided sufficiently so that even the heaviest newspaper is lifted from its position between the forward wall 36 and the newspaper next behind the forward newspaper. The upper margins of the leaves of the newspaper being dispensed are already forwardly pressed by the deflectors 39, and as the dispensed newspaper is lifted upwardly these margins come in contact with the spring guides '56 which resiliently but firmly, with the help of the force of gravity upon the dispensed newspaper, guide the paper in its upward and forward arc of movement into the troat defined by the spring guides 56 andthe guide strips 55 at the upper portion of the delivery slot 23.

By the time the newspaper has assumed its position in the throat, the force of gravitywill begin to effectively pull the newspaper away from the spines 81 and the newspaper will drop freely and lose its engagement with the burrs 75. At this time the crank and handle 6667 will be approaching a pendant position from the shaft 65 and the burrs will be then held in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 until the next customer operation. Thus it is seen that the burr moves in one direction in a com plete circle from the position shown in Figures 3 and 4 during a dispensing operation. The actual dispensing occurs during movement of the burr from one position where it engages the forwardmost newspaper in the magazine to a second position more remote from the magazine corresponding to that of Figures 3 and 4. The movement of the burr from this second position to the newspaper-engaging position is obviously attained without contact of the burr with any of the articles in the magazine. Moreover, although throughout movement of a paper by the burrs substantially all of the face of each burr around the spines engages the article being moved by the burr with the spines penetrating the article. The guides 56 permit disengagement and removal of the article from the burr without destructive scratching or tearing of the article by the burr spines, this disengagement and removal being effected preferably by gravity as illustrated.

When the last newspaper has been dispensed from the magazine, plunger 132 is free for advance under the bias of its spring 133 and it will contact Bowden wire 130. The spring 133 being stronger than spring 135, the Bowden wire will be thrust inwardly of its cable and will thrust the arm actuator 131 against arm 121 with sulficient force to swing the arm and its deflector 122 into position between the anvil and the collar 97. Thereafter any coin placed in the slot 110 and bounced upon the anvil 116 will be deflected by the deflector 122 into channel 124 so that the coin will be guided by return guide 125 into the return slot 127 within easy reach of the customer.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described for the dispensing of successive packs of newspaper-like folded arrays of sheet material positioned with the folded margin of the pack at the trailing side when considered in the light of the direction of the dispensing movement of the pack, a magazine for holding said packs, a movable dispensing structure including at least one burr having a face for imparting dispensing movement to a pack being dispensed, said magazine including means for positioning the forward-most pack therein in a predetermined dispensing position with a face portion thereof disposed for engagement by said burr face, all portions of said movable dispensing structure other than. each said burr being so constructed and arranged as to move during dispensing operation in paths of movement spaced from the path of each said burr faceso that only the burr can impart dispensing motion to an article in said magazine, a retarder comprising a bristle brush-like member positioned closely beside the path of forward movement of the packs toward the dispensing position, the bristles of the retarder being of suflicient length and positioned to be received between sheets of each pack whereby in the dispensing operation the bristles are in a position to resist the dispensing operation of the pack being dispensed and of the pack immediately behind the dispensed pack.

2. In a dispensing apparatus of the character described,

a magazine for the reception and advance of a supply of limp articles to be dispensed, a slot for delivery of arti cles to be dispensed said slot being spaced from the magazine, dispensing apparatus positioned between the magazine and the delivery slot including a movable structure having at least one burr having spine means arranged at an entrant angle and an area about said spine means for article-advancing engagement with only a forward portion of a magazine fed article and mounted for arcuate movement upwardly and forwardly, all portions of said structure other than each said burr being: so constructed and arranged as to move during dispensing operations in paths of movement spaced from the path of each said burr area so that only the burr can impart dispensing motion to an article in said magazine, the burr having a dumping rod extending in a trailing direction from the burr and positioned to carry the weight of a portion of an article trailing limply behind said burr and to be dispensed in the movement thereof toward the slot, the

article engaging surface of said dumping rod permitting the trailing portion of the article to slide therealong after the article is freed from engagement with said burr during a dispensing operation.

3. In a dispenser for newspapers and like material, a magazine for carrying a plurality of newspaper-like articles to be dispensed, a movable dispensing structure engageable with said articles to dispense them from said magazine one at a time, said magazine including means for locating an article to be dispensed in a. predetermined dispensing position with at least a part of the face of the material thereof exposed for engagement by said structure, said structure including at least one burr mounted for movement in a path of travel tangential to the face of material to be advanced along said path, the parts of said structure other than each said burr being so constructed and arranged as to move during dispensing operation in paths of movement spaced from the path of said burr face so that only the burr can impart dispensing motion to an article in said magazine, each said burr having a face for presentation against the material, the maximum length of said face in the direction of said path of travel being a minor fraction of the length of said path and substantially less than the length of the burr-engageable material face along the same direction, at least one spine projecting from the face of the burr at an entrant angle, means for advancing each said burr whereby the spines penetrate and said face bears against the material to impart motion thereto, said path of burr travel extending beyond its point of initial tangential en-. gagement with said material to a point of delivery of the material from said burr, said path being shaped at said point in a downward direction whereby the material is delivered from the spine by gravity.

4. In a dispenser of the character described, a maga- 11 zine including a forward wall positioned to hold material to be dispensed and shaped to expose a surface of the material for dispensing action, dispensing apparatus including a movable dispensing structure having at least one burr swingable. in a path of movement in a dispensing operation, said path of movement bringing each said burr into contact with only a portion of said surface of the material to be dispensed, each said burr having a broad face and a spine disposed at an entrant angle with reference to the'material to penetrate said surface whereby to' engage the face of the burr with the material to be dispensed, said burr face having a length in the direction of its path of movement that is substantially less than thelength of said path as well as being less than the length of said surface of the material in the direction of its dispensing movement, all portions of said movable structure other than each said burr face being so constructed and arranged as to move during dispensing operation in paths of-movement so located relative the path of each said burr face to assure dispensing motion being imparted only by each said burr to an article in engage ment with the forward wall of said magazine, means defining the path of movement of said material during a material away from the burr and the entrant angle spine after said burr passes said point during a dispensing operation.

5. Dispensing apparatus according to claim 4, further including dumping means connected to and trailing said burr for carrying the weight of a portion of said mate rial trailing behind said burr during a dispensing operation, said dumping means being swingable with said burr but in a path of movement spaced farther from said spring guides than the path of said burr to afiord free movement of said material between the guides and the dumping means after the material is disengaged from the burr during a dispensing operation.

6. In a device of the character described for the dispensing of successive packs of newspaper-like folded arrays of sheet material positioned with the folded margin of the pack at the trailing side when considered in the light of the direction of the dispensing movement of the pack, a magazine for holding said packs, a movable dispensing structure including at, least one burr having a face for imparting dispensing movement to a pack being dispensed, said magazine including means for positioning the forwardmost pack therein in a predetermined dispensing position with a face portion thereof disposed for engagement by said burr face, all portions of said movable dispensing structure other than each said burr being so constructed and arranged as to move during dispensing operation in paths of movement spaced from the path of each said burr face so that only the burr can impart dispensing motion to an article in said magazine, a retarder comprising a rotatable bristle brush-like member positioned closely beside the path of forward movement of the packs toward the dispensing position, the bristles of the retarder being of sufiicient length and positioned to be received between sheets .of each pack whereby in the dispensing operation the bristles are in a position to resist the dispensing operation of the pack being dispensed and of the pack immediately behind the dispensed pack, means for supporting said brush-like member for rotation about an axis generally parallel to the path of dispensing movement, and means for feeding successive packs in a direction substantially normal to said dispensing path with their edges engaging said brush-like member to rotate the latter about its axis to facilitate the positioning of bristles between sheets of the pack being dispensed and between sheets of the pack immediately therebehind.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 410,045 Tabour Aug. 27, 1889 412,591 Bingham Oct. 8, 1889 859,853 Stewart July 9, 1907 1,245,405 Turney Nov. 6, 1917 1,549,956 Bartlett Aug. 18, 1925 1,659,878 Jennings Feb. 21, 1928 1,673,030 Weiss June 12, 1928 1,702,925 Ashe Feb. 19, 1929 1,801,409 Bihl Apr. 21, 1931 1,882,261 Schofield Oct. 11, 1932 1,937,024 Kurth Nov. 28, 1933 2,053,791 Horwitt Sept. 8, 1936 2,119,548 Laughcry June 7, 1938 2,321,136 Grau -1 June 8, 1943 2,321,199 Grunig June 8, 1943 2,615,774 Van Clief Y Oct. 28, 1952 2,713,931 Russell July 26, 1955 2,702,145 Paulas Feb. 15, 1955 

